CHAPTER V.

Residence at Cambridge - Engagement with Mr. Cripps Commencement of his Grand Tour-Hamburg-DenmarkSweden-Lapland-Norway- Finland — Petersburg-Moscow-The Don-Sea of Azov-Crimea-Constantinople.

WITH the journey which was the subject of the last chapter, the connexion of Mr. Clarke with his young friend, as tutor, was terminated; but having been formed at a moment when their minds were softened by a common calamity, and continued under circumstances of perpetual novelty and interest, the impressions left by it were unusually strong and lasting; and upon it was laid the foundation of a mutual attachment highly gratifying to both, but reflecting particular credit upon the character of the pupil. That the warmth of Mr. Clarke's heart, the kindness of his manners, and his eagerness both in acquiring and communicating knowledge, should have secured a temporary hold of the affections of a young and ardent mind, is nothing more than might have been expected, and what in fact did happen in more cases than in this; but in the spirit and constancy of an attachment, which neither the lapse of more than twenty years, nor the wide difference of their pursuits and situations in the world, nor the pleasures of a fashionable life, nor the business of a public one, could ever weaken, there is something as admirable as it is

rare. So long as Mr. Clarke lived, the interest and the exertions of his pupil were always ready to be employed in the furtherance of any object which he had at heart: and when that event occurred which is too often found to acquit all worldly obligations and to dissolve all common ties, it only served to bring his friendship forward in a more striking point of view. In every mark, whether of public or of private respect, paid to the memory of his friend, Mr. Paget was always among the foremost; and the readiness with which he entered into all the details connected with the comfort of the family of Mr. Clarke, and the warmth of his exertions in the promotion of every measure recommended in their behalf-exertions not less successful than they were extensive-were such as could only have been expected from a very near relation, or from one who had lived in daily habits of intimacy with him, to the last moment of his life.

Upon their return from Scotland, Mr. Paget was sent to Oxford according to his destination, and Mr. Clarke returned to Uckfield, where, towards the end of the winter, the author of this Memoir went, in conformity to a long promise, to spend a few weeks with him. He had been living with his family ever since his return, and it was reasonable to expect that the arrangement and digestion of the materials of a journey, in which he had taken so much interest, while the objects were fresh in his recollection, would have been his principal employment and resource; especially as it was always his intention to publish them; but he had dismissed this subject from his thoughts, and, to confess the truth, was wholly absorbed in the occupations and amusements of an active country gentleman; amongst which shooting was the most prominent. For the more effectual prosecution of this object, he had procured

from the Duke of Dorset, the deputation of several large woods and manors in the neighbourhood of Uckfield, in which it was his daily habit to expatiate, and with as much enthusiasm and delight as the keenest sportsman of his time. He was not successful indeed, nor was success necessary to his enjoyment; it was the wildness of the sport, and the bustle and activity of the exercise which captivated him; and as he was then without any definite objects in life, it became a matter of painful conjecture to those who regarded him, when and how the indulgence of such a passion might cease. On this ac

count all the influence of his friend was exerted to withdraw him altogether from this scene of fruitless labour (for such it was to him on many accounts), and to induce him to take up his residence in Cambridge, where he would be certain of finding pursuits worthy of his ambition, and friends disposed to partake of them. But this was a more difficult undertaking than might have been imagined. The repugnance he at all times. felt to remove from his mother's house, had lately been considerably strengthened by a sense of something like independence which his election to a Fellowship* had created, and what was more unfortunate, by an unaccountable dislike to the very place where he was urged to go, and it is very probable, that every remonstrance, and every effort of his friend would have been unavailing, if they had not been happily seconded by an accidental circumstance, which occurred most seasonably to aid them. His name was put down at Uckfield for the supplementary militia, and such was his dread of being compelled to serve in this corps, that without stopping to inquire by what other means he might escape the

* He was elected Fellow of Jesus College before he went to Scotland,

chance of the impending evil, he immediately seized upon the idea of College, as of a place of refuge from it." My going to College for a short time," he says in a letter to his friend, soon after the latter's return to Cambridge, "I am afraid, will now be absolutely necessary, for they have entered my name to be ballotted for as a supplementary militia-man. Tell the Master I will be bursar, or shoe-black, or gip, to avoid marching amongst a mob of undrilled recruits. Only fancy, Captain Clarke, or what is worse, Ensign Clarke, of the awkward squad. I am very sure you would soon find the addition of-brought to a court-martial for disobedience of orders. Seriously I will beg of you to request the Master to appoint me bursar without delay, that I may go to Lewes, and tell the justices I am exempted by a College office, and only there upon a visit." Accordingly he was appointed bursar; and rooms having been prepared for him at his request, he pared to take up his residence in College at Easter 1798.

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In the mean time, however, an engagement more directly connected with the line of life he had adopted was proposed to him; and as this engagement led afterward to important consequences, and was, in truth, the cause of his undertaking, and the means of his completing his celebrated journey to the Continent, it will be proper to speak of it more fully. The object of the proposal was a young man of his own neighbourhood in Sussex; who having lately succeeded to a considerable estate in that county, was desirous of placing himself under the guidance and instruction of Mr. Clarke for three years, in the meritorious hope of supplying the defects of an indifferent education, by those means, which though late were still within his power. In the pursuit of this advantage, the place was of secondary importance to him, and he was

easily induced, at Mr. Clarke's recommendation, to admit himself a Fellow-commoner of Jesus College, and to accompany his tutor to Cambridge; with an understanding, which was equally agreeable to both, that after a certain time spent in preparatory study, they should undertake some journey to the Continent together. The pecuniary part of the proposal was very liberal, and the plan was entered upon without delay. With them came also to the University a gentleman of a very different character, and in a different situation in life; led there indeed partly by the same motives as those which influenced Mr. Cripps, a love of Mr. Clarke's society, and a desire of profiting by his information, and, in this respect, affording a remarkable instance amongst many which might be quoted of the strong attachments inspired by Mr. Clarke; but chiefly induced by another reason, which, considering his circumstances, will be regarded as very rare. This was the Honourable John Tufton, an elder brother of his first pupil, the same who had accompanied him as far as Brussels on his tour to the Continent. He had lived a considerable time in the fashionable world, had partaken largely of its interests and its pleasures, and at the time of his admission at Jesus College, was in the full enjoyment of all that men usually desire, being splendidly allied, a Member of Parliament, and possessed of a larger fortune than he could spend. In all this, however, he had not found what would satisfy his understanding and his wishes, and one object of his coming to College was to try, whether the pleasure of academic pursuits and the society of literary men would prove more effectual. The experiment, however, was unhappily of short duration : his health, which was indifferent when he came, declined rapidly after his admission, and compelled him frequently to remove